keeping fit and pelvic floor
exercises.
Vaginal secretions or
discharge
Other than your period as
part of your natural menstrual
cycle, it’s normal to produce
clear or white secretions
(discharge) from your vagina.
This mucus is produced
naturally from the neck of the
womb, known as the cervix.
“Vaginal discharge is not
‘always a bad sign’,” says Dr
Elneil. “There is a myth that
copious clear or white
discharge is associated with
sexually transmitted
infections. Changes in the
amount of discharge can be
100% hormonal – in other
words, linked to the
menstrual cycle, pregnancy
or menopause.”
The character and amount of
vaginal discharge varies
throughout your menstrual.
Around the time that your
ovary releases an egg
(ovulation), your discharge
JOY FEELINGS
usually becomes thicker and
stretchy, like raw egg white.
Healthy discharge doesn’t
have a strong smell or colour.
You may feel an
uncomfortable wetness, but
you shouldn’t have any
itching or soreness around
your vagina. If there are any
changes to your discharge
that aren’t normal for you,
such as a change in colour or
if it starts to smell or itch, see
your GP as you might have
an infection.
You can find out more
about vaginal
discharge, pregnancy and
the menopause.
Bacteria in the vagina
There are lots of bacteria
inside the vagina, and they’re
there to protect it. Professor
Ronnie Lamont,
spokesperson for the Royal
College of Obstetricians and
Gynaecologists, says: “The
vagina contains more bacteria
than anywhere else in the
body after the bowel, but the